French Bread
| Category | Breads
|
| Classification | French |
| Added By |
Phyllis Watson |
| Added On | |
| Prep Time | |
| Yield | |
| Source | |
| Comment | 15" loaf, serves 3 |
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup lukewarm water
- 1 package yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
-
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons salt
-
- 5 cups flour
- (1/2 cup at a time)
Directions
Combine the water, yeast and sugar and sit until bubbly in a small bowl. Heat the milk, water and salt in a saucepan until lukewarm. In a large bowl, put the saucepan mixture, the yeast mixture and add 5 cups of flour, a half cup at a time. Stir until the mixture becomes a medium-firm dough that can be lifted up in a moist, solid mass. Knead on a lightly floured board, 10 minutes, using the 1/2 cup flour still remaining. When the dough is smooth and elastic, put in lightly buttered bowl, dust with a tablespoon of flour and cover loosely with a damp towel. Rise 1 1/2 hours until double and springs back slowly when poked. Punch down with one blow. Cover and rise 45 minutes until doubled. Divide into 3 pieces. Mold on floured surface to 2" x 15" long . Scatter 1/2 cup cornmeal over surface of large cookie sheet and place the loaves 2" apart. With a very sharp knife make diagonal slashes 1/2" deep at 2" intervals. Dissolve salt in 1/2 cup water. With a pastry brush coat the bread lightly. Let rise an hour until double. Preheat oven 400 degrees and set a large shallow roasting pan filled with boiling water on the oven floor. Bake the bread on the shelf directly above 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees, brush the bread with water salt solution. After 10 minutes, brush the loaves again. Now bake the bread 20 minutes longer, until crisp and golden. Remove from baking sheet and let cool on a cake rack before serving.
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